Shinsei Timeline
This a timeline meant to explain the history of the world in theonering3434's Code Geass fan-fiction series Code Geass Shinsei. Timeline *Note: In order to make this timeline run more smoothly, it will be assumed that the history of the world is the same as in our timeline unless it is pointed out below.* * 55 BC ** Julius Caesar and his Roman legions invade the British Isles but are met with strong resistance from the local tribes, who elect a super-leader: the mysterious Eowyn. According to legend, Eowyn is able to convince the Celtic tribes to put aside their differences and work together to save their home. Despite suffering heavy losses, the Celts led by Eowyn are able to repel Caesar and his forces, earning the latter's respect in the process. Caesar and Eowyn eventually agree to cease hostilities in exchange that the Roman Republic recognize the sovereignty of the British Isles. Rome, already dealing with economic turmoil, agrees to the proposed armistice in order to salvage what's left of their resources. Eowyn is hailed as a hero by his people, and the Celtic chieftains unanimously agree to proclaim him High King of the Celts, thus establishing the Eowynid Kingdom. * 950 AD ** Anglodite is discovered near Mount Fuji in Japan. The scarcity of anglodite impedes the research to turn it into a viable energy source. * 1066 AD ** A Briton nobleman named Ellyll vi Bretan allies himself with William the Conqueror after the latter invades England, resulting in the death of Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings. After William becomes King of England, he makes Bretan the Duke of Hastings, therefore making Ellyll vi Bretan one of the few native Britons to keep power. * 1294 AD ** Marco Polo journeys further into the East than anticipated, reaching Japan and discovering the nation has mild deposits of anglodite. This discovery marks the beginning of Japan's influence upon the world. * 1492 AD ** An expedition under Christopher Columbus discovers the New World: a formerly untouched continent rich with land and resources. Columbus suspects it to be an extension of Asia, but is proven wrong by Amerigo Vespucci, who shows the world that it's an entirely separate continent. As a result, European interest in exploration and colonization increases rapidly, with many countries seeking to establish a foothold in this new land. The continent later becomes known as America. * 1575 AD ** Queen Elizabeth I of England bears a son named Henry despite being a virgin. Nevertheless, Parliament and countless nobles recognize Henry as the heir to the throne in order to continue the Tudor Dynasty. The potential fathers — Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester; Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex; and Edward el Bretan, Duke of Hastings, are seen as candidates for being the father of Prince Henry and therefore gain much more influence in the royal court than they could ever imagine. * 1603 AD ** Elizabeth I dies of natural causes and a 27-year-old Henry is crowned King Henry IX of England. However, the Scottish Stuarts refuse to recognize Henry as king, and therefore Scotland demands that King James VI of Scotland be crowned King of England. To appease Scotland and prevent civil war, Henry IX promises to have his daughter and heir Elizabeth (born 1600 AD and named after her grandmother, Elizabeth I) marry Henry Frederick, Prince of Scotland. Henry IX also assures the English nobility that the future descendants/heirs of Elizabeth would still go by the surname Tudor instead of Stuart. Henry's reign is seen as the beginning of the First Golden Age of the Tudor Dynasty and under his rule, England begins its colonization of the New World. * 1'620 AD' ** The cargo ship Mayflower brings English Puritans and Separatists to the New World, who then established the first colony, Plymouth. Not long after, much of the eastern coast falls under English control. * 1637 AD ** Henry IX dies of natural causes, resulting in his daughter Elizabeth being crowned Queen Elizabeth II of England. Elizabeth II would continue England's colonization of the New World. * 1682 AD ** Prince James (born 1632), who was already known as King James VII of Scotland since 1651, is crowned King James I of England. King James VII/I immediately unites both England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain through royal decree. * 1691 AD ** A 38-year-old Prince James VIII/II is crowned King James VIII/II of Great Britain. * 1709 AD ** An 18-year-old Richard is crowned King Richard IV of Great Britain. Meanwhile, Britain, with James su Bretan, Duke of Hastings leading the military, competes with the other great European powers over colonial policies and territory. * 1752 AD ** A 23-year-old Henry ascends to the throne, becoming King Henry X of Great Britain upon his coronation. * 1756 AD ** The Seven Years' War erupts throughout Europe, and not even the New World colonies are left unscathed, i.e. the French and Indian War. * 1775 AD ** The American Revolution erupts in the 13 Colonies. Separatists under George Washington, officially known as the Continental Army, rebel against British rule over the American colonies. * 1776 AD ** The 13 Colonies sign the Declaration of Independence, thus marking the official beginning of the United States of America. * 1777 AD ** Benjamin Franklin travels to France in order to gain French support. Since King Louis XVI of France doesn't like the British due to losing to them in the Seven Years' War, the chances of him aiding the Continental Army are very likely. William la Bretan, Duke of Hastings, attempts and fails to bribe Benjamin Franklin into betraying the colonies in exchange for an earldom, resulting in Franklin successfully arriving in France, and convincing King Louis XVI to aid the Continental Army in their struggle against the British. * 1781 AD ** American and French forces defeat the British at the Battle of Yorktown, resulting in the surrender of General Charles Cornwallis. The Battle of Yorktown would become the last major battle in the American Revolution. * 1783 AD ** The Treaty of Paris is signed, in which Great Britain officially recognizes the sovereignty of the newborn United States of America. * 1785 AD ** The Western world enters the Age of Revolution, with numerous national revolutions taking place, save Great Britain, under the rule of King Henry X. * 1787 AD ** The Articles of Confederation, which had served as America's first constitution, proves to be a total failure and is soon replaced by the U.S. Constitution. * 1789 AD ** The French Revolution erupts, causing total chaos in France. This would eventually pave the way for the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte. * 1794 AD ** Henry X dies of natural causes and is succeeded by his younger brother, Prince Charles who is crowned King Charles I of Great Britain. * 1796 AD ** Charles I dies from natural causes. His niece Elizabeth (daughter of Henry X) is soon crowned Queen Elizabeth III of Great Britain. * 1799 AD ** The French Revolution ends with the Coup of 18 Brumaire, in which Napoleon Bonaparte deposes the Directory and appoints himself First Consul of the French Republic. * 1804 AD ** Napoleon crowns himself as Emperor Napoleon I of the French Empire. * 1805 AD ** The French-Spanish combined fleet under Admiral Pierre-Charles Villeneuve is defeated by the British Royal Navy under Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar. As a result, the British Isles is saved from potential invasion and/or annexation by the French. * 1808 AD ** Sir Richard le Bretan (privately known as Ricardo - an affectation he acquired from his Spanish mother, Sofia le Bretan (formerly Sofia Lopez)), Duke of Hastings, and Elizabeth III's lover, marries his daughter, Anne li Bretan, to Elizabeth III's nephew, Prince Michael with the permission and blessing of the Queen. * 1810 AD ** Elizabeth III names Ricardo as her successor prior to her sudden death. As a result, Ricardo is crowned King Richard V of Great Britain. Richard V immediately names Prince Michael as his heir in order to secure the loyalty of the British people and prevent civil war. His reign would become known as the Ricardian Era. * 1815 AD ** Napoleon Bonaparte engages the armies of the Seventh Coalition at the Battle of Waterloo. As defeat seems inevitable for Bonaparte, he decides to die an honorable death in battle, rather than live the rest of his life in exile and be disgraced forever. His death would end the Battle of Waterloo and result in victory for the Seventh Coalition, resulting in the collapse of the First French Empire. After the battle, King Louis XVIII of France decides to posthumously pardon Bonaparte as a sign of respect for the fallen French general. Peace soon returns to Europe. * 1830 AD ** Richard V dies of natural causes, resulting in a 38-year-old Prince Michael being crowned King Michael I of Great Britain. * 1852 AD ** Commodore Matthew C. Perry makes his voyage to Japan, demanding that the Japanese open their country up for trade. There's nothing the Japanese can do to oppose this, as they are technologically outmatched against the Americans. Thus, in 1854, they sign a treaty with the U.S., opening up several trade ports in the country. They would also make similar agreements with Britain, France, and Russia. * 1861 AD ** The American Civil War erupts in the United States of America. As a result, two factions begin to emerge: the Union led by President Abraham Lincoln and the Confederacy led by President Jefferson Davis. Initially, Confederate forces led by General Robert E. Lee repeatedly defeat Union forces battle after battle. ** As the war goes on, however, Confederate forces are pushed back by Union forces led by General Ulysses S. Grant. Lee eventually surrenders to Grant at the Appomattox Court House in 1865, marking the end of the Civil War and the fall of the Confederate States of America. Not long after peace is restored to America, President Lincoln is assassinated by John Wilkes Booth. * 1868 AD ** In Japan, Emperor Meiji makes a formal declaration of the restoration of his power, in what came to be known as the Meiji Restoration. Thus, the Empire of Japan is born. However, the ex-shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu refuses to recognize the declaration, and goes to war with Emperor Meiji, sparking the Boshin War. The war would culminate in the Battle of Toba-Fushimi, in which imperial forces led by Saigo Takamori decimate the ex-shogun's forces. Yoshinobu is captured by Imperial forces and is forced to commit seppuku, thus ending the Boshin War. With peace returning to Japan, Emperor Meiji and the Imperial Government continue their work on modernizing the nation. Eventually, Japan becomes entirely modernized and emerges as a world power during this time period. * 1870 AD ** Michael I dies of natural causes. His grandson, Prince Victor, is crowned King Victor I of Great Britain. The reign of Victor I would mark the beginning of the Victorian Era and the start of the Second Golden Age of the Tudor Dynasty. * 1877 AD ** The Satsuma Rebellion erupts in the Empire of Japan, culminating in the Battle of Shiroyama, in which samurai rebel forces led by the Boshin War veteran Saigo Takamori would engage imperial forces only for Takamori to be killed in battle, resulting in the destruction of the samurai class. ** In the aftermath of the failed rebellion, Emperor Meiji and the imperial government realize that while Japan should continue to modernize and interact with other countries, it also should remember its own culture and history. Thus, Saigo Takamori is immediately posthumously pardoned by Emperor Meiji. In addition, elements of bushido are brought back, such as honor, duty, self-sacrifice, and loyalty to the Emperor. * 1894 AD ** The First Sino-Japanese War is fought between Qing China and the Empire of Japan. The war would quickly end in a decisive Japanese victory, with China ceding Taiwan, Penghu, and the Liaodong Peninsula to Japan which then the latter would soon annex. This results in the Qing Dynasty losing further power and prestige both internationally and within their own borders, paving the way toward revolution. * 1898 AD ** The Spanish-American War is fought between the Spanish Empire and the United States. Surprisingly, Japan joins forces with the U.S. when Spanish forces from the Philippines mistake Japanese ships for Filipino rebel ships and sink them in the process. As a result, Japan declares war against Spain. Many heroes would arise during the conflict. For the Americans, there were heroes such as future president Theodore Roosevelt and the legendary Rough Riders. For the Japanese, an ex-samurai known as Kururugi Katsumoto would lead Japanese forces to victory after victory against the Spanish, resulting in the Japanese taking the Philippines and Guam from the Spanish. His ruthlessness on the battlefield would earn him the nickname Akuma no Kururugi (Kururugi the Demon). ** The Spanish eventually realize that they cannot continue the war any longer without ruining Spain's economy, and in December of that same year, the Treaty of Paris is signed, in which Spain grants independence to Cuba. Spain would also cede Puerto Rico to the United States while ceding the Philippines and Guam to Japan. Japan would then rule these newly acquired territories indirectly as colonies. It was at that same year in which the U.S. also annexed Hawaii. * 1904 AD ** The Russo-Japanese War is fought between the Russian Empire and the Empire of Japan. Eventually, the Treaty of Portsmouth is signed, in which Russia cedes all of Sakhalin Island plus the Kuril Islands to Japan, as well as recognizing the Japanese sphere of influence in Korea and agreeing to evacuate Manchuria. Japan would then annex Sakhalin Island plus the Kuril Islands. * 1906 AD ** Under the patronage of Admiral John "Jacky" Fisher, the British Royal Navy commissions the HMS Dreadnought, a battleship that would revolutionize naval power across the world. Her commissioning would have the secondary effect of sparking a renewed arms race with the German Empire, exemplified by the Imperial German Navy commissioning the SMS Nassau, first of Germany's dreadnought fleet, not long after. Many would see these events as a sign of a coming war. * 1910 AD ** The entire Korean Peninsula is conquered and soon annexed by the Empire of Japan. * 1911 AD ** The Xinhai Revolution erupts in China, causing total chaos. The ruling Qing Dynasty is expelled and replaced by a new rulership under revolutionary leader Sun Zhongshan. Rather than declare himself the new Emperor and establish a new Dynasty, however, Sun would embrace the ideals of George Washington and Napoleon Bonaparte, causing a string of social renewals in the country. These renewals included the abolishment of the monarchy and class system and the establishment of a (formally) democratic government, thus giving birth to the Republic of China. * 1912 AD ** Emperor Meiji dies of natural causes. Prince Yoshihito (Taisho) ascends to the throne as the 123rd Emperor of Japan. * 1914 AD ** Archduke Franz Ferdinand is assassinated by the Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip, sparking World War I. The British Empire, French Republic, Russian Empire, Kingdom of Italy, and the United States (Allied Powers) fight the German Empire, Austro-Hungarian Empire, and Ottoman Empire (Central Powers). * 1915 AD ** The Empire of Japan, sensing an opportunity to expand its territory due to WWI, invades Hong Kong, French Indochina, Siam, and Indonesia. As Europe is too busy fighting a war among themselves, little to no troops are sent to defend these territories, resulting in Japan successfully conquering them within 3 years. They would then be ruled indirectly as colonies. * 1917 AD ** The Russian Revolution erupts in Russia, when, following the tenets of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, Bolshevik revolutionary Vladimir Lenin ousts and eliminates Russia's ruling monarchy. Initially, the Imperial Parliament, or Duma, takes control as the Provisional Government, but Lenin, in his continued drive for power, eventually militarizes the worker masses into the infamous Red Army and ousts them as well. This eventually transitions into the Russian Civil War. ** As a result of the Civil War, Russia is forced to withdraw from WWI, thereby establishing an armistice with Germany. * 1918 AD ** British, French, Italian, and American forces manage to defeat Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire. In 1919, the Treaty of Versailles is signed, in which Germany is deemed officially responsible for the start of World War I, has to pay war reparations to the victors, and has to drastically reduce its military. Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire are dissolved into several independent nations. ** With WWI over, the nations of Europe initially plan to retake the territories stolen from them by Japan, but with Europe still devastated by WWI, they reluctantly decide to focus more on peace and recovery rather than resume conflict. * 1919 AD ** Victor I dies of natural causes. Prince Charles is crowned King Charles II of Great Britain. * 1920 AD ** The world enters the Roaring Twenties and enjoys economic prosperity. * 1922 AD ** The Russian Civil War ends with the Bolsheviks victorious. Under Lenin's continued leadership, the Bolsheviks go on to form the first branches of the United Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), the world's first "true" socialist supernation and, according to the Soviets themselves, the first step toward worldwide revolution and transition to communism. Western Europe watches these developments with baited breath, especially as the USSR annexes several eastern nations into its banner. * 1924 AD ** Vladimir Lenin dies after a series of strokes without naming a successor. This causes inter-party conflict between his followers, now identified as Communists, for the acquirement of Lenin's seat. The eventual winner of this struggle, after the systematic elimination of all competition - both politically and literally - would be Joseph Stalin. * 1926 AD ** Emperor Taisho dies of natural causes. Prince Hirohito (Showa) ascends to the throne as the 124th Emperor of Japan. * 1927 AD ** The Chinese Civil War erupts when, following upon the success of the Russian Revolution, the recently formed Communist Party of China, under the leadership of Mao Zedong, begins its insurrection against Chiang Kai-shek's Kuomintang. This war would continue on for over two decades and would see much in the way of desolation and bloodshed. * 1929 AD ** Following a series of economic setbacks, the worldwide stock market crashes, leading to a sharp decline in global GDP as well as personal income, tax revenue, and trade. The Great Depression had begun. * 1931 AD ** The Empire of Japan invades and conquers Manchuria from China with little to no resistance. It is then converted into a colony. * 1932 AD ** Charles II dies of natural causes. His son, Prince Theseus, is crowned King Theseus I of Great Britain. * 1936 AD ** American engineers start making many more advancements in Anglodite-based engineering, eventually finding a cheaper way to process Anglodite into its usable form. This, as a result, opens countless possibilities and technological advancements, resulting in the U.S. government making rapid advancements in various weapons and vehicles. Soon after, Japan, the Soviet Union, and the nations of Europe make the same discovery, leading to them making advancements as well. China soon catches up, with the hope that such advancements will help it end the civil war and also retake Manchuria from the Japanese. ** With demand for Anglodite skyrocketing, the United States, Japan, China, the Soviet Union, and the nations of Europe find that their own Anglodite reserves aren't enough to meet their demands. Realizing this, the Anglodite-rich Great Britain exploits this through bargaining and coercion. The British Empire exports more than ever before, which pumps Britain's economy even further. Soon Britain makes trade deals with the United States and other European nations with the exception of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. * 1937 AD ** In the aftermath of the Marco Polo Bridge Incident, the Empire of Japan is quick to declare war on China, thus sparking the Second Sino-Japanese War. * 1939 AD ** Germany, under the leadership of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party, invades Poland, thus marking the official beginning of World War II. More to come...